


my love will shelter your heart

by psyraah



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 18:12:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10541832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psyraah/pseuds/psyraah
Summary: The whispers have existed for centuries. Two guardians, a dog and a cat, of all things, who watch over their town.[Some kind of spirit guardian AU]





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CarbonFootprint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarbonFootprint/gifts).



> BECAUSE CARB IS WONDERFUL AND DESERVES NICE SHEITHS
> 
> Thought process: carb = nya keith = woof shiro = whatever weird kinda fantasy/modern AU this is? Enjoy.
> 
> Slight blood tw. Tiny.

There are whispers and murmurs, but often enough to know that they’re true. A story of your father’s friend’s employee, whose daughter was washed away after the unstable river bank crumbled beneath her feet.

But she returns, and when she does, she recounts a tale of someone—she isn’t sure who—pulling her from the river. Carrying her coughing and semi-conscious back to her bed. And her father says, tone hushed and disbelieving, that he’d only known because there had been a strange banging sound coming from her room to attract their attention.

And he swears he saw a silhouette of a cat, darting through the open window.

“Wow,” Keith says, when he hears someone talking about it excitedly in a store. “Must be some cat.”

Shiro hums next to him, thoughtful as he places a bottle of shampoo in the basket. “Sounds like a load of trouble, if you ask me.”

Keith elbows him in the ribs.

A few weeks later, there’s another one. A house fire, the uncle of the local school teacher caught inside. He remembers nothing but the roof coming down, and then—maybe—another man supporting him outside. Tall, he says. Broad. And...odd, in the way he’s held aside burning logs with only a flinch. And he’d disappeared as soon as they stumbled outside.

Some people say they saw a dog, large and shaggy, trotting away. But in the chaos and confusion, no one knows for sure.

“He was lucky it was a dog,” Shiro says as they read the headlines. “Can you imagine a tiny cat trying to save him?”

Keith elbows him again.

Guardians, people say, reverent, slightly confused, some disbelieving. Watching our town. For years. Decades, even. As long as anyone can remember.

Mostly at night. Under the cover of shadows of buildings, and the bustle of the streets where no one can see them. And, indeed, tonight no one does. Not another soul witnesses how a dog—panting, whining in distress—bounds up the path to the nearby forest, winding its way into the mountains. Not another soul notices the still, feline form lying on its back, the slight glitter of wetness painting its brow.

Shiro turns human as soon as their home comes in sight, twisting to catch Keith’s still form, cradling the tiny bundle in his arms.

“Almost there, sweetheart,” he says, shoving the front door open. “Almost, just hang on, okay? Reckless cat.”

 _Dumb dog_ , he can almost hear in his mind, were Keith conscious to say it.

He lays Keith on their dining table gently, pillowing his head with some napkins. “I’ll be right back, love. Just hang on.” He darts to one of their kitchen cabinets, quickly grabbing a tiny bottle and returning to Keith’s side. Gently, gently, he tilts Keith’s head so he can tip some of the liquid down his throat, brushing gently at the fur on his neck.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he murmurs, heart pounding. He watches as the ugly gash down Keith’s neck slowly knits itself back together, which is good. Keith will be fine. “Come on now.”

It takes a moment, but then Keith stirs with a gentle meow, and Shiro sighs in relief. “There you are.”

Slowly, Keith sits up, blinking startling purple eyes. He butts his head against Shiro’s hand, which is still shaking, and licks his fingers with a rough tongue.

Shiro sighs. “You scared me,” he says, reproachful.

Keith stares at him, unimpressed. It’ll be a moment before he can change back, after all the excitement, and Shiro takes full advantage of that. He lifts Keith from the table—his lover hissing softly in protest—and nuzzles him as he carries him to the couch.

“You’d be just as worried as me, you know that.” Keith kneads at Shiro’s chest with claws that are just sharp enough to prick, and Shiro grimaces. Before he can protest, he suddenly has a lap full of grouchy human.

“I’m fine, Shiro,” Keith huffs, arms crossed. “You worry too much. We’re semi-immortal.”

“Yeah, but that stab to the neck looked like a pretty close call, okay?” Shiro says gruffly. He sighs, resting his forehead against Keith’s. “It was frightening, all right? Let me worry about you.”

Keith lets out a breath too, relaxing. “Sorry,” he mumbles. “Think I’m more just pissed I didn’t notice the knife. Stupid criminals.”

“Which is why you should be more careful. I love you too much to lose you now.” As soft as falling leaves, he presses a kiss to Keith’s brow. He brushes his thumb over the skin of Keith’s neck, where the cut has healed. “We gotta look after this town, but also each other, right?”

Keith leans into the touch, and presses a kiss of his own to Shiro’s cheek. “Okay. I love you too, you dumb dog.”

Shiro smiles, and holds him close. “My reckless, spitfire of a cat.”

They guard others throughout the long years, saving countless lives. And at night, in the deep of the forest they call home, they guard each other’s hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/starchydreams/status/849150530446278656) | [Tumblr](http://shiroganedefencesquad.tumblr.com/post/159181748379/my-love-will-shelter-your-heart-happy-birthday)


End file.
